Choboyuka and Hayashiba
The hayashiba is the place where the accompanying music of the kabuki is performed. It is generally located, as here, in a small space just off-stage behind a barred window, and the players are only barely visible to the audience. At Kanamaruza, the hayashiba is on the left side of the stage. Here the performers sing the nagauta, tokiwazu, and kiyomoto and perform music to heighten the dramatic effects of the drama.
The nagauta, literally “long song,” which dates from the Edo period, is a kind of traditional song that accompanies the performance. It was influenced by Noh style of singing, and the shamisen and drums (taiko) are played to accompany the songs. Depending on the type of play there may also be drums of varying sizes, different types of flutes, and other instruments, as well as a myriad of devices for creating sound effects.
The choboyuka is the area on the upper level on each side of the stage where the narrators (tayu) sing the accompanying songs.